


The Gift

by dreyars



Category: ALL OUT!! - Amase Shiori (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Birthday, Established Relationship, Implied Sexual Content, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 09:39:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11078952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreyars/pseuds/dreyars
Summary: Horikawa receives a very special gift for his 19th birthday.





	The Gift

Gift giving was stupid.

Pointless.

An unnecessary formality driven by the need to seem like you care about someone on important days.

Horikawa never really got what he wanted, anyway.

He didn’t have anything he needed. There was never anything physical that he desperately wanted. So, everything he got was always a disappointment, no matter how much thought and care went into the gift.

There was only one thing he wanted this year, and he knew he wasn’t going to get it. He’d already been told so, and while he tried to believe otherwise and hold on to the dream, the gift he received in the mail the day before his actual birthday crushed what little hope he had.

It was just a notebook. A nice, fancy, hardback notebook, complete with a new stock of his favorite pens and some sticky tabs with animal characters on them.  Useful, yes, as he had started to run out of space in his current rugby notebook, but still disappointing as he read the note tucked inside the cover.

_Sorry I couldn’t come to see you. Miss you. See you when you get home next month._

No explanation, because he had already been explained to in detail why his boyfriend’s mother wasn’t letting him travel alone to see his college boyfriend in a city they weren’t familiar with. But it still hurt, to know that he hadn’t gotten to see Oharano since he moved out here at the end of March. He hadn’t found the time to make the trip back home, and Oharano’s mother was adamant that he couldn’t come to see him, especially since Oharano hadn’t even admitted to his parents that he had a boyfriend until well into April. Horikawa hadn’t been exactly happy about that, seeing as they had been dating since at least December, but he understood where the Oharano parents were coming from. Why let your perfect golden child take a train halfway across the country to spend the weekend with someone they had never met?

He understood. He got it. He really did.

But it still sucked ass knowing that the closest they got to spending time together was when they video chatted during homework sessions, and just kept the call going to feel like they were physically together.

They talked via text every day, tried to call each other every night, but the restrictions on their relationship sucked. It felt like he was still back in high school, bound by classwork and practice and unable to see Oharano for weeks at a time. It had been months since they started dating, and it was like they were still in phase one of “getting to know each other” because they could never _see_ each other.

They still bickered over stupid things, they still got annoyed by the little habits they didn’t understand. They were getting by because they were still too cautious to breach subjects that could cause a bigger fight.

They were getting by, and it was fine for now, until Oharano was old enough to follow him, but it didn’t erase the ache of not being able to see him whenever he wanted.

Horikawa always tried to cover up that hollow feeling whenever he could, never one to admit that he wanted and needed Oharano more than he said he did. Throwing himself into his school work and practice and whatever other nonsense his teammates came up with each weekend.  He didn’t always partake, both because he was underage and thought they were all being jackasses by drinking themselves senseless each night.

But, on the night of his birthday, he decided he might as well, because he didn’t have anything else to look forward to.

No one to truly celebrate with, no one to come and see him.

So he went out with new friends… New teammates that were old enough to get him drunk. Oharano knew where he was, said it was okay to go as long as he got home safe.

He drank away the disappointment, tried to distract himself long enough to make himself forget how much he missed Oharano and how terrible of a replacement that stupid notebook was.

But it was hard to block out when it was all you could think about. It was the only thing swimming around his head that night, even after the drinks made his vision spin. Each time it disappeared to the back of his mind for a few moments, it was back, as surely as the fact that that same shitty pop song would play again on his teammate’s radio in a few minutes.

Even when he forgot how he got home, sprawled out on his couch, shirt discarded somewhere between there and the door, he remembered how shitty this birthday was.

He was far from home, far from any of his old friends from high school, and far from the one thing he asked for this year.

\---

A soft knock on the door sounded like gunshots going off inside of his head.  Horikawa groaned, rolling over on the couch and pressing a pillow to the side of his head to try to block the noise out.  When the knocking finally relented, it was replaced by the sound of his phone ringing.  Horikawa blindly slapped out at the coffee table until he finally found the device, knocking over the glass of water he had set out for himself the night before.

“What?” His voice was groggy and rough, thick with sleep and the cotton mouth of a long night.

“Good morning to you too. Are you at home?” Oharano’s curt voice echoed in his ear, and Horikawa just frowned, wondering why his boyfriend was calling so damn early.

“Yeah. I’m Home.”

“Then answer the door.” The line cut off and Horikawa groaned, rolling off the couch as he tried to figure out why Oharano wanted him to go to the front door. He decided he didn’t like getting drunk if this was going to be the result. He hated this feeling of dullness as he couldn’t even come up with the most obvious reason why he was shuffling to his front door, half-dressed and groggy.

The sun was much too bright when he opened the front door, and Horikawa figured he must have slept in much later than he intended.  He could barely make out the person in front of him until he shielded his eyes, clearly making out the irritated pout and soft yellow hair of the one person he didn’t expect to see that day.

“Etsugo, what are you doing here?”

“I told you last night that I was coming. I figured you were just black out drunk, and that’s why you didn’t answer me.”

“I never got anything from you. Are you fucking with me right now?”

“Don’t be an ass. I text you at like 7pm last night.”

“Babe. I didn’t get anything from you.” To prove his point, Horikawa opened his phone and turned it around so Oharano could see that the last message he received from him was a “be safe” around 5:00 after announcing he was going out with his teammates.

With a frown on his face, Oharano pulled out his own phone, scrolling through until he found his chat with Horikawa. His face relaxed with a nod of understanding. “Oh. I forgot to send it.”

If it wasn’t for the pounding headache that was already making him dizzy, Horikawa would’ve rolled his eyes. “Yeah. So what are you doing here?”

“Happy belated birthday? At least pretend like you’re excited to see me.”

Horikawa sighed, running a hand through his hair as he stepped back to let Oharano inside. “I am excited to see you. Just a little bit hungover and a little more than surprised.”

“19 and already hungover.  I hope this isn’t what you’ve been doing for the past couple months.”

“17 and already a pain in the ass.” Horikawa followed Oharano into his one-bedroom apartment, pointing the way to his bedroom after deciding it was best not to let him see how trashed the living room was. “And you know me better than that, I just didn’t have anything to do last night so the team took us all out to ‘celebrate’.”

“Well, maybe you should’ve used some of your free time to take a shower.”

“Oh shut up. I was on my way there before you called.”

“I highly doubt that from the way you’re moving.” Oharano looked him up and down, highly judgmental of his sweatpants and unshaven face. “You look like you wouldn’t have gotten going until well after 4pm if I hadn’t dragged you out of bed.”

Horikawa gave Oharano a soft shove as they sat down on Horikawa’s bed, still made up from earlier the previous morning. Oharano shoved back, letting himself get caught up in Horikawa’s arms while complaining a bit more that the older man still stunk. Horikawa ignored him as he pressed his face into Oharano’s hair, breathing in deeply and enjoying the presence of the boy he hadn’t gotten to see in months.

“I am glad you came, even if I can’t get up the energy to show it.”

Oharano rubbed Horikawa’s arm, allowing him to hold on for a little while longer. “You wouldn’t have energy to show it even if you weren’t hungover.”

“Fair enough.” Horikawa pulled away, ruffling Oharano’s hair so that he didn’t look like the only one that was a complete mess.  “So, tell me. How’d you manage to convince your mom to let you come?”

“Oh, well first off, I’m not here right now. I’m at Gion’s house.” Oharano pulled out his phone and tapped out a message, apparently telling his mom that he had arrived at wherever he was really supposed to be.” And if my mom calls, you have to pretend to be Gion’s dad.”

“I can do more than pretend if that’s what you’re into.” Horikawa rested his chin on Oharano’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy’s waist before he could get away. That didn’t stop Oharano from pushing his hands against Horikawa’s face in an attempt to push him away.

“You’re disgusting. And you stink. You really need to shower before climbing all over me.”

“Why? We’ll just have to shower again anyway, so whats the point?”

Oharano’s cheeks flushed red, and he covered his hands with his face as Horikawa clung on to him, giving a quick kiss to Oharano’s pink cheek. When his boyfriend was sufficiently embarrassed and irritated, Horikawa let him go, standing up from his bed.

Stretching his arms over his head, Horikawa willed away the grogginess in his head. “I _suppose_ I’ll shower, since you’ve taken the trouble to come all the way out here.”

Oharano bounced his legs impatiently, shooing Horikawa off as he kicked off his shoes and made himself comfortable in the bedroom he had not yet seen. Before he had even left the room with his towel and a fresh set of clothes, Oharano had already checked out, his feet up on the bed and his head on the pillow, for once waiting quietly with his phone pressed to his nose. It was only a few minutes until he was clean enough to return.  The cold water of his shower cleared his head, making him marginally more alert and aware that Oharano was _here_.

Here on sheets he had never felt before, in a city he had never seen before. He knew for a fact that Oharano had never traveled this far alone either, be it for an overprotective mother, or Oharano’s own nerves that prevented him from going anywhere without a friend.

It dawned on him that not only had Oharano come all the way here just for him, he had actually _lied_ to his own mother to get permission to spend the night away from home.

Horikawa wasn’t sure if he was corrupting the poor boy just by being in contact with him, or if he had truly picked the best boyfriend he possibly could have for himself.

Oharano was still laid out on his bed, eyes closed with his arms propped behind his head. Horikawa couldn’t resist sliding in and laying on top of him, plopping enough of his weight on Oharano’s chest to make him grunt. Oharano’s hands found his wet hair, gently pulling through it as Horikawa felt his eyes get heavy again.

“So what now?”

Horikawa pushed himself up on his arms, giving Oharano a ‘really?’ look while he hovered over him. “What do you mean what now? I’m hungover and out of commission for the day.  I didn’t plan anything for us since I didn’t know you were coming.”

Oharano’s hands found the sides of his face, unsticking a bit of wet hair from his cheek. His face betrayed no excitement or disappointment. “That’s fine.”

“That’s fine?  You’re not usually one to be okay with wasting your money just to do nothing.”

“It’s not a waste.  You didn’t die last night, so even if you’re out of it, it’s worth it.”

Horikawa smirked as he leaned down to press his lips to Oharano’s forehead. “Careful or you might say something I can use against you.”

“I can’t think of a single thing I could say that you could use in a way I wouldn’t enjoy.”

Horikawa barked out a laugh before rolling onto his side, flopping down beside Oharano. “You’re dangerous today.”

“Yeah but clearly not dangerous enough. You still look like you’re going to pass back out.”

Horikawa had to admit, Oharano wasn’t wrong. His eyes were still heavy. His entire body sluggish, even as Oharano’s light touches sent electric shocks across his skin. If Oharano wasn’t right beside him, the warm skin of his neck providing the perfect place for him to lay his head, he could have fallen asleep. He _was_ falling asleep, even as Oharano’s fingers traced light patterns across the arm that was slung over his stomach.

But he couldn’t sleep. Not when he hadn’t seen this boy in months. Not when he traveled all this way to see him.

“It’s alright if you sleep, Kenya. I’d probably join you, after the week I had to deal with.” With the free arm that Horikawa was crushing, Oharano tried to rub his back, helping him relax even from the awkward angle.

Horikawa grumbled, letting his eyes slip closed. “Tell me about it.”

“Worst bedtime story every if you ask me.”

“It’ll help me sleep. Listening to you in person for once.”

“Great subtle way of telling me I bore you.” Oharano chuckled to himself, not once pausing in rubbing his soft hands in gentle circles on whatever skin on Horikawa’s body that he could reach. “But if you insist…”

Oharano launched into a story that Horikawa could barely remember. Something about the new first years, and the current third years getting into some sort of fight over the lockers… He wasn’t really sure. Oharano’s soft voice, speaking almost directly into his ear, was enough to push him over the edge and fall right back asleep.  It was comfortable. Warm. Things that he hadn’t associated with Oharano a year ago.

They never got to spend time like this together. Even if it seemed like wasted time, lying in bed sleeping when the boyfriend he never got to see was literally right beside him, Horikawa feels he wouldn’t have wanted to spend his birthday any other way.

This was perfect. He couldn’t have asked for anything else.

\---

He woke as the sun was setting, the light cutting through the window and hitting him straight in the eyes. Oharano’s hair tickled his face, letting him know that the boy will still beside him and that it hadn’t been just one big dream.  He was still here, still pressed against his body like he fit there.

Oharano smiled at him as soon as he noticed that Horikawa was awake, his whole face glowing with the orange evening light.  His eyes were full of unspoken taunts, the teasing gaze tearing him apart and drawing him in. Oharano didn’t pull away when Horikawa decided he couldn’t resist the call, softly kissing his lips as he tried to fight off the waves of comfort that were threatening to pull him back under.

With each sweet peck, Horikawa felt the sleepiness and the bitterness he had been feeling for the past week peel away, revealing a whole new moment where the only thing that mattered was what was illuminated in oranges and reds in his tiny bedroom.

They were desperate, too focused to even say words as Horikawa tried to wake up his limbs so that he could climb on top his boyfriend’s body.  With his side finally free, and with no fear of waking Horikawa up, Oharano curved his back in an attempt to stretch out his spine.  Horikawa wasn’t sure if Oharano had made himself comfortable or not, because the movement only further served to draw him in as Oharano wrapped his arms around his neck, pulling him down to kiss him again.

He _missed_ this. He had told Oharano so a thousand times before, told himself he did because Oharano told him he needed to work on being more open with his own feelings but fuck if he didn’t know how much he really missed him.

Horikawa missed this. The feeling of Oharano’s strong hands braced against his shoulders, his cold countenance melting away as his body opened up.  The confident little smirk he always got when Oharano knew he was making an absolute mess out of Horikawa. The soft little sounds he would make while Horikawa kissed him, a little hint of the noises Oharano would be making for him later.

He missed the way that they always seemed to sync up and move together when they didn’t let words get in the way.

The way Oharano’s fingers curled in his hair, and the way his legs wrapped around his waist, and the way they both forgot everything that they had ever done wrong, and everything but the feeling of their bodies against each other.

But there was nothing to miss when Oharano was with him now, melting into his hands like he had the first time they had kissed each other like this.  Nothing to miss, only the memory of what he had been missing out on for the past months.

Oharano gasped, and it was like his breath filled his lungs, making him whole. Making them one before their clothes even came off.

He sighed, and Horikawa slowed down, dragging out the moment as if he would never get the chance to feel this way again.

Oharano touched his skin, tearing him apart and setting him on fire, while at the same time putting him back together, making Horikawa more into the man he wanted. The man that he needed.

Oharano was what he needed. Better than any  gift he could’ve asked for.

And sometimes he felt like he didn’t deserve him.

That’s why he pushed away the feelings of missing him.

That’s why he couldn’t fathom a reason as to why Oharano would risk getting grounded and having his phone taken away just to come see him.

Neither of them were perfect, not by a long shot. Their relationship wasn’t by any means perfect either. But they fit together so well.

And Horikawa wanted him. Wanted him in his arms and in his bed and for all the selfish reasons he could think of.

He wanted Oharano even if he wasn’t good for him.  Even if he made his heart ache when he wasn’t around, and made him feel all the things he swore he could never feel.

Horikawa peeled Oharano’s shirt away from his skin, unwrapping him with eyes wide, just like the gift he never thought he would get.

Oharano’s fair skin was flushed pink, either from the heat of early summer or from Horikawa continuing to undress him, and Horikawa couldn’t help but stare. At his chest, his lips. The eyes that were impatiently asking what was taking so long.

Horikawa smirked, finally pulling off his own shirt as Oharano reached out to him, drawing him back in, eating him up, making him whole.

And somewhere between clothes falling away and Oharano’s nails digging into his skin, Horikawa realized that no gift from any other person could ever live up to the one lying below him.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this all week and I've been sick and barely finished it but I have an HOUR left of Horikawa's birthday.
> 
> BUT ANYWAY. SAPPY HORIETSU BECAUSE I NEEDED TO MAKE MYSELF HAPPY AFTER THE LAST FIC
> 
> so hi thanks for reading, check me out on tumblr @dreyars and @ebumimasaru I'm out of work in a week so hopefully will be around more


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